Cell Connections – Normal Cell Connections
44
Table 6-1
Cell-cable Terminations: Potentiostat and Galvanostat Modes (Voltages less than or equal to 12 V)
Color
Type
Name
Normal Connection
Blue
Banana plug
Working Sense
Connect to working electrode
Green
Banana plug
Working Electrode
Connect to working electrode
White
Pin jack
Reference
Connect to reference electrode
Red
Banana plug
Counter Electrode
Connect to counter electrode
Orange
Banana plug
Counter Sense
Used in ZRA mode; connect to counter electrode
Black
Pin jack
Floating Ground
Leave open or connect to a Faraday shield
Connect both the blue and green cell leads to the working electrode. (The working electrode is the electrode
being tested.) The blue pin-jack connection senses the voltage of the working electrode. The green working-
electrode connection carries the cell current. The working electrode may be as much as 250 mV above the
circuitry ground (floating ground).
Connect the white pin jack to the cell’s reference electrode, such as an SCE or Ag/AgCl reference electrode.
The measured cell potential is the potential difference between the blue and white cell connectors.
You may need to connect the Reference 3000 to a two-terminal device (such as a commercial battery). In this
case, connect both the white cell and red cell leads to one side of the device, and the blue and green cell leads
to the other side. Try to connect the white and blue leads as close to the device as possible.
Connect the red banana plug to the counter or auxiliary electrode. The counter electrode is usually a large inert
metal or graphite electrode. The counter electrode terminal is the output of the Reference 3000’s power
amplifier.
The orange lead is only used in ZRA mode and Stack Mode. Automatic switching to ZRA mode is possible if
this lead is connected to the counter electrode. If you will not be using ZRA or Stack mode, this lead can be
left open or connected to the Counter electrode.
The black pin jack is connected on the Reference 3000 end to Floating Ground. This is the circuitry ground for
the analog circuits in the Reference 3000. In most cases, leave this terminal disconnected at the cell end. When
you do, take care that its metal contact does not touch any of the other cell connections.
If your cell is a typical glass laboratory cell, all of the electrodes are isolated from earth ground. In this case, you
may be able to lower noise in your data by connecting the Reference 3000’s Floating Ground to an earth
ground.
Caution:
If any electrode in your cell is at earth ground,
never
connect the Reference
3000 chassis to earth ground. Autoclaves, stress apparatus, and field measurements may involve earth-
grounded electrodes. A binding post on the rear panel of the Reference 3000 is provided for this purpose.
A water pipe can be a suitable earth ground.
